When a heart breaks, no it don't break even
by Ms.Brooker-T
Summary: Elena get's into an accident, erasing all memories of her past life. She wakes up and finds out they may not return at all. Her best friend Damon Salvatore is there to help her, but he's heartbroken knowing she may never remember her confession to him.
1. Chapter 1

She can't remember anything. Her mind is a blank slate as she slowly opens her eyes to the world she can't remember. Surrounding her are machines that beep loudly, and blink their lights rapidly. There is also a man standing looking at a clipboard in his hands and through heavy eyes she turns and sees a man in the chair beside her, frowning as he sleeps.

She notices how gorgeous he looks, even in his sleep, with his jet black hair and the sharp contours of his face. She halts her train of thought, realizing he may be related to her in some way, thought she desperately hopes not.

She returns her attention to the man who she concludes, must be a doctor. He glances from the clipboard to look at her and back to his clipboard before his eyes return to her face. His mouth hangs open and he stares at her in mild shock. "You're awake?" he replies with a curios look before he breaks into a smile.

She gives a small nod, and then before he can ask anymore questions, she asks her own. "Who am I?"

* * *

><p>The doctor looks at her with a concerned expression. "You can't remember who you are?" He asks slowly.<p>

She shakes her head. "I can't remember anything." She says, and the doctor is able to hear a slight panic in her tone.

He quickly writes something in the clipboard before returning his gaze to his patient. "You are Elena Gilbert." He tells her.

"Elena." Elena replies, as if testing her name out. "What happened to me?" She asks suddenly.

The doctor looks at her with a worried expression, not knowing how his patient will take it. "A bridge collapsed while you were driving beneath it. You were lucky to get out alive." He says quietly. "You were nearly suffocated by the dust, and large pieces of concrete landed on you, breaking many of your bones." He pauses for a moment after she flinches. "A metal pole from the structure was driven through your stomach, which we removed. You were sent into a coma when a slab of concrete landed on your head."

"Wh-who are you?" Elena stutters after hearing the events of what happened to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Dr. Alaric Saltzman." The doctor replies with a sense of pride. "I will be taking care of you for the next few weeks that you are here."

"Weeks?" Elena squeaks. Although she couldn't remember being in one before, Elena had the feeling that she hated hospitals.

"Yes, the metal pole has caused some problems with your organs and we'll have to keep a close watch on it. Also with your lack of memory we'll have to make sure you don't have any other effects." Dr. Saltzman replied.

Elena gives a weak nod letting him know that she understands. "Will I get my memory back?" She asks, though she fears the answer.

"It is hard to say. We will keep you here though, as I mentioned and you will have to report to us if you have any weird flashbacks, or memories or even dreams."

Elena feels her stomach knot at the answer. She wants to remember her family, her city, her life.

She finally asks him her last question. "And who is that?" She asks looking towards the man seated beside her who has just started to stir.

"That is Damon Salvatore." The doctor replies. "I believe he is a close friend of yours."

The man, Damon, finally opens his eyes and a smile break onto his face as he looks at his best friend, wide awake.

"Elena!" he says with enthusiasm. "Thank God your awake." He says exhaling.

Elena nods, the best she can do as she looks into the bright blue eyes of the man in front of her. They just add to the overall presence of this man. She thought he was gorgeous while he slept, but she couldn't understand exactly how stunning he really was until his light blue eyes met her wide brown ones.

"Are you okay?" He asks, noticing her hesitation.

Elena opens her mouth but doesn't know how to respond. She closes it again and looks down.

"Is she okay?" Damon asks the doctor, sounding more worried.

"Mr. Salvatore, I'm sorry to have to tell you this," Dr. Saltzman replies slowly, his eyes resting on Elena. "Elena has lost all her memory."

Damon looks to Elena, and she meets his eyes where she sees the shock, and sorrow and even though she can see he tried to mask it, she clearly sees heartbreak.

**Just a short chapter to start off the story. A lot more will be explained in the next chapter. More characters introduced and more about Elena's life.**  
><strong>And this story is all human.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**By the way-this story is all human and nothing to do with the series. Just the characters. **

"I-I'm sorry." Elena stutters nervously after seeing Damon's reaction.

Damon shakes his head, looking down. "It's not your fault." He says quietly taking her hand. "I'm just glad your okay." He says giving her a weak smile.

Elena looks into his eyes and desperately tries to figure out why her whole body is now tingling at his touch, when he's supposed to be just a friend.

"Ms. Gilbert?" The doctor says quietly, breaking Elena from her trance.

Elena glances up to the doctor who was watching her and Damon's encounter curiously. "Yes?" She asks.

"Your fiancé is on his way. He should be here in a few minutes." The Dr. Saltzman replies.

Elena's jaw drops as she hears the news. She has a fiancé? She's getting married? Just thinking about it makes her breathing become heavy and labored. She just woke up and now she finds out she is engaged?

"Wh-what?" Elena asks turning from the doctor to Damon, and then back to the doctor. "I-I'm getting married?" She stutters. "I can't get married!" She says in a panicked voice just as a man steps through the door.

"You what?" The man asks, his voice torn between shock and anger, but he quickly settles on anger. "It's because of this son-of-a-bitch, isn't it?" He yells glaring at Damon. "I knew you were sneaking around behind my back!" he cries turning his glare onto Elena.

Elena stares, horrified into the angry green eyes of the man who must be her fiancé.

She opens her mouth to speak but closes it and looks down with tears in her eyes, unsure of what to say, or what to think. Her mind already is jumbled up and she can't even remember things and here is this man accusing her of cheating on him.

Although, at the sudden accusation Damon leaps to her defense "Would you just shut up Stefan!" He shouts. "She'd never cheat on you and you know it! Now calm down!" Damon yells before lowering her voice. "Obviously we scared her." Damon says quietly, looking back at Elena with a small, apologetic smile. He turns back to Stefan, losing the smile and settling on a tight glare. "She can't remember one thing from before her accident. She doesn't remember you, or me, or even who she is. You should not be coming in here after she nearly died and start screaming in her face accusing her of things."

Stefan's face falls at the news and he quickly rushes to Elena's side with a sad and apologetic expression. "I'm sorry Elena." He says quickly. "I'm so sorry." He leans in to give her a kiss but she instantly flinches and pulls back.

Stefan looks into her big brown eyes and she can clearly see the hurt but instead of feeling bad, her eyes instantly lands on Damon pleading for some help with the situation.

After looking into Elena's eyes and noticing her distress, Damon looks back to her fiancé. "Stefan." He says in a warning tone.

"Sorry." Stefan mumbles. "I thought it might help you remember."

Elena shakes her head, and inches towards the opposite side of the bed, getting herself as far from Stefan as she could. She understands his confusion and hurt, but after what she's been through the yelling and accusations have gotten her angry and a little scared of the man before her. She liked it when it was just her and Damon.

Realizing that the most tense part of the reunion is finished, the doctor clears his throat. Everyone's eyes land on him as he speaks. "Stefan, you will have to sign some papers that talk about her stay here and such. I will explain everything to you in my office. Elena, just press the button beside you if you have problems and a nurse will come."

Elena nods and after taking one last look at her, Stefan leaves the room.

Elena finally releases the breath she didn't know she was holding. She rests her head back once again and turns to look at Damon. He keeps glancing between the chair Stefan last occupied, and the door.

"You can sit," Elena says quietly. "If you want to I mean."

Damon smiles at her and takes a seat in the chair. "You okay?" he asks her as he tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. "Sorry about all the yelling I did there."

"It's okay." Elena says feeling a blush creep up as his hand lingers on her cheek. "I take it you two don't get along."

"Nope, not even when we were kids." Damon replies looking down.

Elena's jaw drops. "Y-you're brothers?"

Damon's head flicks up, remembering that she had forgotten about that. He slowly nods, gauging her reaction.

Elena mauls over the new information before looking back into Damon's eyes. "He still thinks I would cheat on him? With his_ brother_?" Elena replies stunned.

"He doesn't like me much." Damon replies shrugging. "He always thinks the worst of me, but I wasn't too happy with him accusing you. You've been nothing but good to him." He says with a frown.

"You really must be an amazing friend." Elena says with a smile. "Can you tell me a bit about… um, me?" She says curiously.

Damon smiles and nods. "Well first let's get you a mirror."

Elena pauses to look at him before it dawns on her. "Oh my God!" She says with a small laugh. "I can't believe I don't even know what I look like!"

Damon smiles at her reaction, thankful she didn't go into shock or anything.

He grabs a mirror off of the dresser in her room and hands it to her slowly.

She looks at her reflection and gives a small smile, seeing that she isn't horribly ugly, even kind of pretty, although after being in a coma for however long she was, she's quite grungy.

"I'm a mess." She comments still staring into her big brown eyes. "My hair needs a good wash, and I need a shower. I look really skinny too." She rhymes off all the things she finds wrong but is cut off when Damon takes the mirror.

"You're beautiful." He says simply as he places the mirror back on the dresser.

Elena smiles at him, her eyes brightening at the compliment. "Thank you." She says. "So, what can you tell me about myself, personally?" Elena asks.

"Well, you're the most selfless person I know and you do whatever you feel is necessary to make everyone around you happy. You are determined, and like me you're pretty sarcastic." He says with a smirk. "You can also be hard-headed to annoyingly-stubborn levels, but you will always fight for what you love." He finishes with a smile.

Elena nods slowly, believing every word he has said, other than the annoying bit. "How long have I known you for?" She asks.

"Since you were a baby." He says chuckling. "Our parents were best friends and had us grow up together. Play-dates, sleepovers, all the things you should've been doing with your girlfriends, yet you subjected me to it." He says raising his eyebrows with a smirk.

She gives a small playful frown. "I'm very sorry for subjecting you to all that then." She says crossing her arms.

"Hey, don't get all upset. I had fun. We had sleepovers almost every weekend up until you were about eighteen and you started going out with Stefan." Damon replies, his voice almost wistful.

"How did that happen anyway?" Elena asks curiosity filling her voice. "I mean, we played together all our lives and then bam, we're dating."

"No, it was just you and me who hung out all our lives. Stefan was into football and hung out with all the school boys." Damon says. "He only started getting interested in you when you both hit sixteen, and you only caught on at eighteen."

Elena nods in understanding. "How old am I?" She asks suddenly.

"Twenty-two." He answers. "And four months."

"What month is it?" Elena questions.

"It's July 15th, 2011." Damon says with a smile. "You're birthday is on March 11th."

"And how old are you?" She asks.

"Twenty-six." He answers. "Born June 18th, 1985."

Elena nods, but frowns. "How long was I out for?"

Damon's face contorts from a smile into a grimace. "Your accident was June 18th." He says quietly.

"Y-you're birthday?" Elena stutters nervously.

Damon nods tensely. "You were on your way to my house. They found the gift mangled up on the front seat." He replies looking at his lap.

Elena sees the watery blue eyes of the man before her and felt her heart squeeze painfully at his expression. "You blame yourself." She states in a whisper.

His gaze returns to hers and he just nods, unable to form any words except for, "I'm Sorry Elena."

She instantly sits up, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as she possibly can. "Shh, it's okay. It wasn't you fault." She attempts to reassure him as she feels the first traces of tears on her shoulder.

"If you hadn't tried to drive to my house, this never would have happened." He explains in a rough voice, muffled by her shirt.

"Accidents happen Damon." Elena says pulling back and looking into his eyes. "It was no ones fault."

Damon nods, although he still blames himself. Elena returns to her position, lying in bed and staring at the man she feels so completely connected to, even if she doesn't remember him.

* * *

><p>"So, I thought I'd go and get your baby album while you talk to Stefan. I thought showing you some photos of your past might help, or at least give you an idea of who you were, er are." Damon says when Stefan enters the room.<p>

Elena nods and smiles up at him. "That would be great Damon."

Damon gives her one last smile before leaving the room.

"You two seem to have gotten close." Stefan says sourly, taking his place in the chair once again.

"He was my best friend before my accident. I feel like I still know him even if I don't remember him-if that makes any sense." Elena says quietly, trying to explain.

"It doesn't make too much sense." Stefan admits.

Elena frowns but lets it go. "So, what did you and Dr. Saltzman talk about?"

"You." Stefan says simply.

Elena has the urge to roll her eyes but knowing it would be rude to her... fiancé, so instead she gave a small smile.

"What about me?" She continues.

"Well, you will be stuck in the hospital for at least two weeks. After that you'll be getting an at-home nurse to help tend to you." Stefan replies. "You will need to go through some testing to make sure nothing is wrong with your brain and also some more testing for your organs, just x-rays and cat-scans and stuff. "

Elena nodded in understanding, but quickly questioned the at-home nurse. "Can't my parents just take care of me?" Elena asked.

Stefan's face went pale and he avoided eye contact. Elena instantly picked up on his aversion.

"Stefan? Why can't my parents take care of me? They can't be in a home yet, I'm not that old." She says.

As she talks Damon enters the room and once he hears her question his face pales, matching Stefan's and he swallows the sudden lump in his throat.

"Sorry Elena, I-I have to go to the bathroom. Damon will explain." Stefan replies quickly.

Damon's eyes widen and he gives Stefan the death glare as Stefan rushes out of the room.

"Damon?" Elena says quietly. "Please tell me what happened? They-they're just on vacation right? O-or they live in a different country?" As she came up with excuses Elena's voice trembled more and more. Damon's eyes told her everything she needed to know but she didn't want to believe it. "D-Damon? My parents they're okay right?"

Damon places the album in his hands on the hospital dresser and walks over slowly and sits in the worn, little, hospital chair, taking her face into his hands.

"They got in an accident Elena. They drove off of a bridge and they-" He pauses and he sees the tears overflow and run paths down Elena's cheeks.

"They died." Elena states in a broken voice.

Damon nods, giving her his confirmation.

Then Elena sobs for the parents she'll never remember. She cries realizing that its as if she never knew them.

Not caring about the rules, Damon climbs into the small hospital bed and holds Elena as she cries in his chest.

"D-do I h-have any brothers or sisters?" Elena mumbles into Damon's chest. "Oh God, they weren't in the car too, were they?"

"Shh," Damon says into her hair. "You have a brother Jeremy. He's okay. He's on his way back from a summer camp right now to see you."

"He is at camp?" Elena asks in relief.

"He was, but he is on his way home now." Damon says, then pauses thinking about whether he should release the information about her brother. "Elena, he was at a summer camp for depression. Your parents, then you-it was just too much for him, but he's gotten a lot better."

Elena sniffles and thinks about everything she has learned. For a long time she just lies there on Damon's chest, red in the face from crying along with puffy eyes and a runny nose. She nearly falls asleep when she hears footsteps.

When Stefan enters the room once again, she notices the unmistakable glare and flash of jealousy in his eyes.

_He better get over that. _Elena thought to herself as she falls into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>"Get up!" Stefan says slowly, quietly but with a threatening tone.<p>

"That will just wake her up." Damon whispers back, his tone just as threatening-if not more. "If you wouldn't have chickened out and told her what happened then this would have been you."

"I-I couldn't tell her. I didn't want to hurt her." Stefan says, trying to justify his actions.

"So you made me do it. Thanks little brother." Damon says sarcastically.

"You are her _best friend_ aren't you?" Stefan sneers. "Isn't that what _best friends _do?

"Give it up Stefan! I was her friend long before you became her boyfriend." Damon counters.

"Yeah, but you didn't love her then!" Stefan snaps angrily before leaving the room.

Damon looks down at the girl sleeping in his arms. Even with missing showers, and her lack of food, with the tear tracks and runny nose, he still knew she was absolutely beautiful.

Yes, he did love her then. He loved her since they were kids and they played 'Cinderella'

He always wanted to be her prince charming. He was so close too, if not for her accident. If she just remembered the conversation they had the day before.

If she just remembered admitting that she loved him too.

**Please leave a review! (: **

**And just letting anyone reading know, I work weekends so I probably won't be updating on any weekends. **


	3. Chapter 3

After a few hours, Elena wakes feeling relaxed and well rested. She squirms and finds herself locked in the strong arms of someone beneath her.

Elena's eyes flutter open and she sees the face of Damon sleeping under her. She removes her head from his chest glancing around the room before planting a small peck on his cheek-the least she can do for all his help.

She pulls away and notices that his lips have curled into a smile and his eyes are open.

"You're awake." She states with a blush, knowing she has been caught.

Damon nods and releases her from his arms to stretch. "I could get used to waking up to that." He says with a smirk which just causes her blush to deepen.

"So," She starts, trying to get off the topic. "The photo album?"

Damon's eyes widen for a moment at the reminder. He nods and gets out of the cramped hospital bed. He walks back and seats himself on the hospital bed so they can both get a good look.

He opens the first page to a picture of a newborn. With the big brown eyes and olive skin you couldn't mistake that it was anyone other than Elena.

As she looks, her expression close to awe, Elena's eyes fill up with tears. It's as if she is seeing her life through a strangers eyes.

Damon flips to the next page slowly. Elena looks at the photo at the top of two babies, about six months old, lying beside each other. One with deep, green eyes and the other with deep brown.

_Stefan._ Elena thinks.

The picture beneath brings a bright smile to both Elena's and Damon's faces. Sitting on a worn couch is a young boy, four years old with tousled black hair and bright blue eyes. His face is in awe at the adorable, young, baby girl he's cradling to his chest, with the support of the arm of the couch.

"You were cute." Elena comments, her eyes never leaving the picture.

"Thanks." Damon says with a small blush. "But just wait. I have nothing on you."

She finally tears her gaze away and looks up at Damon. She feels herself leaning in and she can see his eyes widen as he realizes what she's doing, but suddenly a voice breaks through the silence and Elena quickly pulls herself back.

"Oh, I see you're showing her an album from her childhood!" Dr. Saltzman replies cheerily, not noticing the tension in the room. "Has it sparked any memories yet?"

Elena shakes her head, looking down.

The doctor mistakes her embarrassment for sadness as he tries to reassure her. "Oh, don't worry. You haven't even been awake twenty-four hours. Thing's might still come back to you. You may just wake up and remember everything one day. Or it might just slowly come back to you. We never know with these things."

Elena nods, signaling she understands as the doctor makes his way out of the room.

"Elena-" Damon starts but she quickly cuts him off.

"I'm sorry, I think I was just overwhelmed and needed comfort, or something. Um, maybe I should just look through this myself?" Elena says quickly.

Damon stands but makes no move to leave. "But-"

"Damon, I-I just think maybe I should be alone for the pictures of my parents and stuff. Thank you for bringing me this." Elena says.

Damon gives a curt nod before walking out of the room with his head hanging miserably.

Elena watches him go and feels the sudden pain in her chest. She sent him away because it would be too much. It would be too much having to tell him she really felt something for him, something more than friendship especially when her 'fiancé' was his brother.

No, she would just keep her distance and hope the feelings go away. After knowing him for just a few hours, she's already in way too deep and she knows that she doesn't want to, no she _can't_ lose him.

Elena flipped to the next page of her photo album and once again saw the young boy with black locks. This time he is sitting on the front porch of a house holding a Popsicle with one hand, while his other arm is wrapped around a girl with pigtails that she identified as herself at about two years old. They are both giving wide smiles to whoever is taking the picture with the red stains surrounding their mouths.

Elena looked to the next picture to see herself at about four years old holding a baseball trophy in her oversized jersey. Her feet are crossed and she's holding the trophy with a proud smile. She doesn't miss the blue-eyed boy standing in the background with a smile of pride as he looks at her.

The next page has her at the age of around six or seven. She swimming in the deep end of a pool with a noodle, though you can see in her face she is struggling. A few feet behind her is the adorable face of a determined Damon swimming towards her.

The picture on the bottom is the conclusion to her swimming adventure. Her chubby little arms are locked around Damon's neck as he swims her towards the shallow end.

She flips the page again, knowing she has a bright smile on her face.

The page is from Christmas morning when she was about eight. Wrapping paper has been flung around the room and she's sitting with her red nightgown gazing at the brown teddy bear in her hands. Sitting on the couch behind her is a woman who looks a lot like her, who must be her mother, looking at the young version of Elena with a bright smile.

Elena feels her eyes fill up as she looks at her mother, knowing she will never see her again, although at this point it is like she never even seen her once.

Under the first Christmas picture is a second from the same day. A young boy with her dark hair and deep brown eyes is smiling a toothless grin holding a box with a helicopter on it and with his one arm wrapped around a green-eyed Salvatore. Elena doesn't miss that in the background there's younger Damon and her both blushing as they look up and see some mistletoe.

The Christmas pictures continue as whoever had taken the picture of her brother had noticed what was happening between Damon and Elena and gotten a closer look. The picture was the result of the mistletoe. Damon is placing a gentle kiss on Elena's cheek and even through the picture you can see how red her face had gone, her smile was beaming.

Elena looked at the bottom of the page at the last Christmas picture and saw Damon, her, Jeremy and Stefan sleeping on the couch together. Damon is sitting with his head against the couch and his eyes closed. Little Elena is lying with her head on the twelve-year olds lap sleeping peacefully. Jeremy and Stefan have mimicked Damon's position. Both sitting with their heads back, eyes closed and mouths gone slack.

She flips to the next page and the next and the next until she hits some pictures from her graduation. There are the ones with her and her parents and then one with her and Stefan holding hands and finally, the last page in the album is a picture of her and Damon. He's looking really good in his black dress shirt and dark jeans. She's smiling in her cap and gown, her arms locked around his waist. Elena is smiling brightly at the camera but Damon, she notices, is gazing at her with a small, gentle smile.

Elena stares at the picture, not knowing why her stomach is suddenly filled with butterflies.

She snaps the book close as she hears footsteps approaching her door.

"Elena?" The voice asks in a small, hurt voice. 

"I-I-" she tries but she just can't figure out his name.

"Jeremy." He says with a pleading look. "You have to remember me 'Lena!"

The young man rushes to her bed side sitting in the chair and takes her hand.

"You have to remember me, please?" He begs.

Elena's eyes fill with tears and they quickly pour over and run down her cheeks. "I-I've tried to. I can't" She whimpers. "I'm sorry."

She sees how troubled her…brother is by the news.

"I know you're my brother and I know what happened with mom and dad." She says softly through her tears. "I-I wish I could be there for you Jeremy."

"It's okay 'Lena." Jeremy says in a soft yet sad voice. "This time I'll be here for you."


	4. Chapter 4

"So, how old are you Jeremy?" Elena asks curiously, although it wasn't her fault she felt somewhat stupid having to ask her brother the question.

"Twenty." Jeremy answers. "Legal drinking age in fifteen more days." He says with a smirk.

"How am I supposed to buy you a gift locked in this stupid hospital room?" Elena says with a frown.

Jeremy laughs, knowing his sisters memory loss did not change her attitude.

"No worries, you can just get me a really big Christmas gift." He says with a wink.

Elena smiles at the suggestion, but after a moment of silence she becomes serious.

"How are you Jeremy?" She asks.

Jeremy rubs the back of his neck feeling a bit uncomfortable. "I'm doing a lot better." He offers. "I was a lot worse when I thought you could die, or even when I thought you'd be stuck in a coma forever." He admitted. "With mom and dad, then you it was all too much. I didn't want to be alone."

Elena feels the tears prick at her eyes as she listens to her brother. She can only imagine his sense of loneliness as his whole family nearly died.

Jeremy takes a deep breath. "I guess you'd find out eventually but I think it's better to hear from me. I tried committing suicide, that's why they put me into this camp that I'm in." Jeremy says quietly.

Elena feels her jaw drop but she quickly closes it, settling for the tears that run down her face. She doesn't remember all the memories she has had with him, but just being around him makes her feel like eventually, she might. She knows she loves him already and thinking of her little brother trying to kill himself is like a slap in the face.

"Hey, hey." Jeremy says trying to calm her down. "I'm alright, I'm never going to try that again. Trust me 'Lena."

Elena nods slowly, and the tears slowly come to a stop. She sniffles and looks up at the young man in front of her.

"I wish I could remember you." She admits. "I know I love you, and I know that we must have had some great times together when we were little, I just wish I could remember them." She says with a frustrated sigh.

"The doctor said you still might remember. We just have to give it time." Jeremy replies.

Elena nods, silently praying that it's true, that one day her memories will return.

"So, Jeremy could you tell me more about Stefan?" Elena asks. "I'm curious to know about the man I was going to marry."

Jeremy looks at her shocked. "The man you were _going_ to marry? You broke off the engagement?" he says baffled.

"Well I can't marry a man I don't know." She reasons. "And anyways, I haven't broken it off yet."

"Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me 'Lena." Jeremy says. "I never liked him anyways."

"What?" Elena asks shocked. "Why would I marry him if you never liked him? I had to care somewhat about your opinion."

"I think you were too scared to break up with him. Especially after mom and dad died. You didn't want to be alone." Jeremy answered looking down.

Elena nods, her heart wrenching for her brother. "Well now I know that I am not alone. I have you, and Damon."

Jeremy gives a bright smile. "Damon's pretty great, huh?"

Elena feels her face flush as the colour brightens her cheek. "He's sweet." She says simply.

"He's a great guy. He's done so much for us. He's the one that got me into the Summer camp." Jeremy explains. "And apparently he's been at the hospital every single day to see you. At least that's what one of the nurses told me."

Elena smiles at the new information, but her expression turns to shock at Jeremy's next statement.

"I never understood why you went out with Stefan instead of Damon." Jeremy says looking at her.

Elena's jaw drops. "I-I thought we weren't like that." Elena says quietly.

"I guess you don't remember how he used to look at you, and I bet you can't see that he still does. He looks at you like you are the most beautiful girl in the world Elena. You've looked through the photo album. He's looked at you like that since you were little kids." Jeremy says.

"Jer, I-I'm tired. I think I'm going to take a nap." Elena says quietly.

It takes an hour for Elena to get to sleep. Thoughts of Damon fill her mind. Jeremy's words repeat in her head. _He's been at the hospital every day to see you. _Elena iss touched by how devoted to her he had been.

_I never understood why you went out with Stefan instead of Damon. _Apparently neither does she. Elena doesn't know why she chose Stefan. She can't remember why. It seems, looking through the pictures, that Damon and her were closer.

_He looks at you like you are the most beautiful girl in the world. _As she drifts into sleep Elena recalls the way Damon looked at her today. His bright blue eyes shining with happiness when she first saw him wake up. The pictures where he had a look of shyness on Christmas, or the look of determination in the pool. No matter which picture she chose, she remembered that everyone with Damon, his gaze was focused on her.

* * *

><p>Stefan meets Damon as he leaves the room. "Damon." Stefan replies glaring.<p>

"Stefan." Damon says with a curt nod.

"You're going to leave her alone Damon." Stefan says in a threatening tone. "You think you can try win her over this time? She chose me once, and she will again."

"Get out of my way Stefan." Damon says attempting to step around him.

"Not until you agree to stay away from Elena." Stefan says, tilting his chin up and crossing his arms.

"You're out of your fucking mind to think after staying with her every day I would just disappear." Damon says in a low, but venomous voice. "I was there even when you weren't and I'll be here when you leave."

"Back off Damon. She's my fiancé." Stefan warns.

"She doesn't remember being your fiancé. Beside I'm not doing anything. She just woke up and I am just being a friend." Damon throws back. "I'm done with you." Damon hisses before turning and walking out of the hospital.

Stefan glares at his back as he stalks out the door.

* * *

><p>Elena wakes several hours later to find Damon sitting in the chair beside her bed. Beside him in another worn chair is Stefan. They are both looking at her with small smiles.<p>

She just looks at them awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"How are you feeling?" Damon asks first.

"Well, I still don't remember anything." Elena starts. "But looking through the photo album helped me make connections to people."

They both nod at the good news. "And Jeremy came to see you?" Damon asks her.

Elena nods, letting a small smile play on her lips. "I really love him." She replies looking down at her lap. "I can just feel it."

"Can you feel that you love me too?" Stefan asks immediately. He's looking at her intently, watching every movement.

Elena squirms under his intense gaze. "N-no but I think it's because my connection with Jeremy goes deeper Stefan. He's my brother."

"C'mon Elena, try and remember. Do everything you can to remember us." Stefan begged.

"Stefan, I-I can't. I'm sorry." Elena said quietly.

"What about Damon?" He spat. "Can you feel your love for him? Can you feel how much you care for him?" he hissed angrily.

Elena winced at the venom in his voice.

"Stefan." Damon warned.

"Stefan I-I-" she starts but can't put the words together to say exactly what she's feeling. "I'm trying to make sense of everything that happened today and I just can't. I-I don't know what I feel and I-I-" She stops, the tears pooling in her eyes.

"It's okay. Just calm down." Damon says quietly taking her hand.

"Whatever. Never mind." Stefan spits before leaving the room.

"Damon I-I want to break off the engagement." Elena admitted once she was sure Stefan was gone. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "but I don't know if I can after seeing his reaction. He gets so angry."

Damon's expression clearly shows his shock but he quickly composes himself. "I'll keep him calm, or at least make sure he doesn't hurt himself or anyone else." Damon says. "You should just make sure this is what you want."

"It is. At least until I start remembering if I really love him." She states. "If I ever do." She tacks on.

Damon nods, although he feels guilty about it, he is truly relieved.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you guys liked it.<strong>

** Please leave a review! **


	5. Chapter 5

Damon and Elena sit watching each other for a long while just letting the days events catch up with them.

"Can you tell me more about my life?" Elena asks finally.

"Such as?" Damon asks raising his eyebrows.

"Who my friends are? What is my job, or am I going to school for something? Tell me some of my favourites, like colours, food, places and stuff." Elena rhymes off the topics ticking her fingers at each one.

"Okay, okay. Well, your two best friends are Bonnie Bennet and Caroline Forbes." Damon explains.

"You mean my two best friends besides you." Elena says with a smile.

Damon just gives her a wink and a nod before continuing. "You finished your first year at Georgia University. You were studying to become a teacher for the primary grades."

"Did I do good?" Elena asks anxiously.

"You came out top of your class." Damon says. Elena could here how proud he was by his voice, causing her to blush.

"And some of my favourites?" She asks.

"Well, your favourite snack is anything with Nutella, but your favourite meal is a tie between Chicken Parmesan and Poutine." Damon laughs. "Your favourite colour changes a lot but it usually comes back to purple. Your favourite place changes due to your mood. If you're in a good mood you love going to The Grill, a local restaurant to eat and see some friends, and if you're sad your favourite place is your couch in comfy clothes with a sad chick flick and some Heavenly Hash. If you just want to think you like to go into the forest and sit on a big rock we used to spend a lot of time at when we were kids."

Elena gives him a smile, but secretly she's shocked at how much he knows about her. She doubts he could tell anyone, except maybe his brother, that much information.

"That spot in the forest sounds nice. Maybe you can take me one day after I get out of this damn hospital bed." Elena says.

Damon smirks but easily agrees. "Of course. Maybe it would spark some memories for you?" Damon says, his voice hopeful.

"Let's hope so." Elena agrees.

That night Elena had quite a vivid dream.

_Elena was standing at home plate on a baseball diamond. In front of her was a man with a baseball cap and a supportive smile on his face. In his hand was a large dusty baseball._

_Behind her she could hear parents and coaches quiet talks. "Our team wins champions if she makes a home run." She hears one person say. "She hasn't hit a ball yet, we are so losing this game." Another comments. She gulps nervously. There was plenty of pressure put on the little six year old. _

_The coach in front of her swung his hand back, then forward slowly releasing the ball. It came towards Elena at what seemed like hundreds of miles per hour. _

_She closed her eyes and praying she would hit the ball she swung with all her might. Her arms vibrated and she heard a loud crack. She opened her eyes to see the ball flying through the air. She watched in awe as it hit the fence in the distance and the other little boys and girls on the opposite team ran after the ball. _

_She heard cheering and turned to the right to see a cute blue eyed boy behind the fence yelling at her. Over the parents cheers she could make out his melodic voice. _

"_Go Elena! Run!" He screamed at her with a proud smile. _

_She instantly dropped the bat and ran towards first base and easily made it. She nearly slid on the dirt as she turned and ran towards second base. First she glanced to see the little girl who finally got the ball was still having trouble stumbling through the grass towards the baseball diamond. Elena then turned her head to look at the black headed boy. He pointed towards third base and mouthed 'Run'. _

_She gave a determined nod and continued her sprint to third; though by that time she was getting out of breath. She got to third and made a dash for home plate. She ran, pushing her chest forward, pumping her small legs as fast as they could go. _

_ She tripped a few feet from the base, falling flat on her face. The crowds cheers turned to one hard gasp. Young Elena looked up with tears in her eyes at the one face in the crowd she needed to see. _

_ Staring back at her were bright blue eyes. She could see how scared they were from her fall and she wanted to tell him he's okay but she knew she'd burst into tears if she opened her mouth. _

_ Instead she shakily pushed herself to her feet, and after glancing right and seeing the young girl with the baseball approaching she swallowed the sick feeling in her stomach and ran to home plate. _

_ The cheers erupted even louder then they were before when she passed home plate, but once she stopped running the pain hit her. She fell onto her butt and quickly rolled up her pant leg. Her lip quivered at the sight of blood and torn skin. _

_ She went to wipe the tears from her cheeks and the snot from her nose but when she pulled away her forearm was covered in more blood. She couldn't help the little scream that erupted from her lungs at all the blood. _

_ Instantly she was lifted off the ground. She buried her tiny fists into the shirt of whoever is carrying her and when she finally glances up she was met with concerned blue eyes. _

_ "D-Damon." Her little voice stuttered. _

_ "It's okay Elena." He said quickly. "You're going to be okay. I Promise." _

_ A sense of peace filled her at his words and she just curled herself tighter in his arms. She couldn't help but believe him. _

Elena wakes with a start. She looks around and realizes that she is back in her hospital room, yet that dream it felt so real.

She looks at the digital clock that sits on the side table. It's bright red numbers show her that it is 11:08 am. She lets herself rest back against her bed taking time to think about the dream, or memory she had.

_Wait! _She thinks suddenly a smile brightening her features. _If that was a memory, maybe it will all come back! _

She's still wearing the smile when Damon, Stefan and Dr. Saltzman come through the door.

"Someone looks like they're in a good mood this morning!" Dr. Saltzman comments with a smile of his own.

Elena nods quickly before explaining. "I-I think I had a dream-a memory." Elena says. "It was so vivid and it just felt like I was there before."

"Was there anyone in it that could confirm if it was a memory?" The Doctor asks slowly, knowing that it may involve parents, a touchy subject.

Elena lets a small smile grace her features. "Damon was there."

She looks up and is met with glowing blue eyes. Damon gives her a smile that matches her own, but Elena doesn't miss the glare coming from Stefan who's standing to the right of Damon.

"Okay, well can you explain what happened, it detail?" Dr. Saltzman asks.

"Okay, it was when I was a lot younger; I would say either five or six. I was playing baseball and I was up to bat. I remember hearing some woman's voices from behind saying that I would be losing the game for them. The coach threw the ball and I closed my eyes and swung. I could _feel_ the vibrations in my arms and I distinctly remember the loud crack of the ball hitting the bat." Elena explains. "I was just in shock that I actually hit it when I looked up and saw a blue eyed, black haired boy yelling for me to run." She says smiling at Damon whose eyes are lit up. "I ran around the bases but when I almost got to home I tripped and I got pretty bloody but I pushed myself up and ran home. When I got there everyone cheered but the pain hit me and I collapsed. Damon ended up carrying me off the field, telling me I would be okay."

She finishes with a smile at Damon and looks to the doctor.

"So, Damon do you remember this happening?" Dr. Saltzman asks.

Damon nods. "Yep. I was ten and Elena was six. Her minor league baseball team made it to the finals. She won them the game even if it was at the expense of breaking her nose and tearing up her knee."

Elena chuckles realizing that even when she was little she was a stubborn little thing. "So, does this mean I'll probably start remembering everything?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up. You might just remember bits and pieces, but now that you had one memory it is more likely that you could remember everything." The doctor answers.

Elena nods, content with the answer. At least she is closer today than she was yesterday.

"Now that we've got all that sorted out." Stefan said clapping his hands together. "Can I talk to Elena, alone?"

The doctor nods and immediately leaves. Damon gives a tight nod and lingers for a moment before walking out the door.

Stefan paces for a moment before sitting in the chair next to her bed. "Elena," He started. "I wanted to talk to you about us. We've barely talked since you woke up."

"I wanted to talk to you too." Elena said nervously. "Stefan, I think we should call off the wedding."

She looks up to see Stefan with a dark expression. "What the hell are you talking about? We have four hundred people that have already responded saying they were able to come and we are waiting on another two hundred. We can't call it off. It's impossible!" He yells, now standing.

"Stefan," Elena says quietly. "I can't marry you. I don't remember you."

"But you remember Damon? This is bullshit Elena!" Stefan screams, not noticing the nurses that have entered the room.

Elena felt her heart speeding up as he continued yelling at her. She could feel it pounding against her ribs and the constant beating was loud in her ears. She couldn't even make out his words over his yelling.

"Sir, if you don't stop yelling we will have to call security!" One older nurse snapped at Stefan.

"Her heart beat jumped to 175 beats per minute!" A younger nurse called out.

Stefan let one finally rant out before Damon grabbed him from behind and dragged him out.

The nurses worked on getting Elena stabilized. After being in a coma for so long, the nurses became worried at her high heart rate and stress levels.

Outside in the hospital parking lot the Salvatore brothers were working out their own issues.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Stefan?" Damon yelled running his hands through his hair. "You could have sent back into a coma or I don't know. I'm not a doctor but I know when a heart rate jumps up too high it can't be good."

"She wants to call off the wedding Damon! How did she expect me to react?" Stefan yelled back.

"I don't know but not like some psychotic lunatic!" Damon countered turning and rubbing his hand over his face.

Stefan shoved Damon's shoulders from behind catching Damon by surprise. He fell to the ground on his knees but quickly pulled himself off the concrete. "Don't start with me Stefan." He growled.

"Or what?" Stefan spat.

"You aren't even worth it. The only reason I'm not going to kick your ass right now is because I need to go see how Elena is." Damon hissed glaring at his brother before walking back through the hospital doors.

He took the elevator but stopped short when he saw nurses and doctors rushing down the hall. One doctor was wheeling a defibrillator.

"No." Damon gasped before rushing forward.

**Sorry if any medical stuff isn't right. I have no idea what are the consequences of being in a coma, or fast heart rates so I made it up. **

**And sorry it took so long to update. Work has kept me occupied day after day! **

**Please leave a review. I think I only got two last chapter! **


	6. Chapter 6

Elena could feel her heart beating erratically against her chest. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears, along with the yelling and beeping. Her eyes were open but all the colours blurred together. She felt a massive migraine, as if someone was squeezing her head tightly.

Suddenly, the sounds ended and the blurs of colours disappeared into blackness. She no longer felt her heartbeat. She no longer felt anything.

_Damon _was her last thought before her mind became empty.

* * *

><p>Damon rushed forward, as fast as his legs could carry him, but before he could enter the room a nurse stuck her arm out signaling him to stop.<p>

"I'm sorry sir, but I can't allow you to go in there right now." She said with a stern look.

Damon's frantic eyes met the old woman's. "I-I need to go in there. I need to make sure she's okay!" He said.

The nurse's expression became sympathetic and caring at the sight of how distraught he looked. "The doctors need all the space they can get if you want them to save her. We will let you know as soon as possible what is going on."

Damon nodded numbly. He couldn't lose her, not again.

He slumped into a chair in the waiting room, staring blankly at a wall as the tears poured over.

Jeremy ran through the doors of the hospital. As soon as he spotted Damon he felt his hope crumble.

"Damon." Jeremy said slowly in a broken voice. He went to approach him and could see the heartbreak when their eyes met. "No, no! She can't be dead. She was talking to me yesterday!" Jeremy cried.

"I-I don't know if she's …dead." Damon said, struggling to get the word out. "The nurses and doctors were all rushing around; they were wheeling in a defibrillator." Damon explained.

Jeremy sat beside him and put his face in his hands. "She can't die." Jeremy whimpered. "She is the only thing I have left."

Damon put his arm over Jeremy in a brotherly way, patting his shoulder.

Neither of the men could even imagine what their lives would be like if Elena was gone for good. Neither of them wanted to.

* * *

><p>Elena woke with a start, gasping for breath. Her eyes were blurry as she looked around the room. She couldn't focus on one thing in the room. It was as if she was spinning around.<p>

"She's back!" A voice yelled. Elena tried to dissect the meaning of the statement.

_Who's back?_ she thought.

Elena suddenly noticed her labored breathing and the mask that covered her mouth and nose. She lifted her hand to remove it but someone quickly grabbed her arm pulling it down. She tried to fight against the arm but realized she was to weak. She just rested her hand back down, giving up.

_What happened to me?_ Elena thought, confused. _I remember playing baseball, but no I was just little, I had a memory of playing baseball. A memory! I remembered something. I'm in the hospital from an accident. _Elena thought putting pieces together. _Stefan was mad and yelling and scaring me and then-I fainted? _She guessed.

Her vision was starting to clear and she was able to make out sounds clearly. A steady beeping sounded from beside her.

She closed her eyes for a moment trying to steady her mind and when she opened them she saw her doctor leaning over her.

"Dr. Saltzman?" Elena tried to say through her oxygen mask.

"Shh." Dr. Saltzman said quickly. "You had a panic attack and you- well I will explain everything later. Just get some rest." He said in a calming voice.

Elena nodded weakly.

"Would you like me to send in Jeremy and Damon? They are really worried about you." The doctor asked quietly.

Elena looked at him with wide and worried eyes. She nodded with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. The doctor gave a soft smile and left the room. A few seconds after he left the two most special men in her life rushed in with puffy eyes and tears stained cheeks. She wanted to pull the mask off and tell them she's okay but for the moment her eyes just jumped from one to the other frantically, knowing she couldn't do anything to help them.

Damon just looked so sad and broken, along with Jeremy who wore a mask similar.

"Elena, thank God you're okay!" Jeremy said rushing to her side. He instantly grabbed her hand and held it to his chest, the tears returning.

She rubbed her thumb over his hand soothingly, trying to tell him she was okay.

Her eyes flickered to Damon who was standing back watching her with scared eyes and a look of heartbreak on his face. Her stomach clenched in pain at the site. He looked terrified and helpless. He looked so young.

"Damon." She murmured into the mask.

"What did you say sis?" Jeremy asked, the tears slowly coming to a halt as he looked at his sister and realized she was okay.

Elena weakly raised her hand, pointing to Damon. Once he realized she was pointing at him, Damon mentally shook himself and rushed to the other side of her bed, taking her hand.

"You scared me half to death there, Lena!" Damon replied in a broken voice.

"Sorry." She whispered into the mask. Somehow though, Damon knew what she wanted to say.

"It's okay." He said stroking her hair. "Just don't pull anything like that again." He said with a sad smile. "I can't lose you. Jeremy and I, we're selfish, we're not letting you go without a fight." Damon said glancing at Jeremy who nodded in response.

Elena let a small smile grace her features. "I'm tired." She said quietly, hoping they heard.

Apparently they understood. They both nodded but neither let go of her hand, too scared that she wouldn't wake up.

"I love you sis." Jeremy whispered as her eyelids got heavy.

"I love you Elena." Damon whispered even quieter, realizing how he almost lost his chance to say it.

Elena's final thought before she went to sleep was that she loved them too, both of them.

Damon and Jeremy were finally able to breathe as Elena fell into a deep sleep. For a few moments they just watched her, making sure her chest kept rising and falling and that her lips were parted for breathing.

Jeremy released her hand gently and his face dropped into his hands.

"I think that was one of the scariest things I've ever been through." Jeremy said. "And I've been through a lot."

"I know, Jer. It freaked me out pretty bad too." Damon said quietly.

"Will you please tell me what happened? You and Stefan were here when she went into the panic attack. What caused it?" Jeremy asked looking up.

"Stefan." Damon said shaking his head. "He was yelling at her and freaking her out and she just couldn't handle it. It was unsafe for him, or anyone to even argue with her but he was full on screaming in her face. After coming out of a coma the stress isn't healthy." Damon explained the little that Dr. Saltzman told him.

"That guy is not going near her ever again." Jeremy said in a determined voice. It was full of warning to Damon. "If he comes in here I'm telling him to leave. I understand he's your brother but I'm not just going to sit by while he nearly kills my sister." Jeremy growled.

"I think he may be banned from the hospital." Damon told Jeremy. "After a display like that I doubt he'd be allowed back in, but regardless I wouldn't let him in here after that." Damon said truthfully.

"I believe you." Jeremy said quietly before looking up and meeting Damon's eyes. "So, you really love her?" Jeremy said with a small smile.

Damon blinked in shock, his eyes widening before he worked back into his calm and cool exterior. "Of course I do. She's been my best friend since we were little."

"Not exactly the way I meant." Jeremy said. "I mean, you're _in love_ with her, aren't you?" Jeremy clarified. He was looking at Damon with a smile and bright eyes, knowing the answer before Damon could respond.

Damon took a deep breath and let it out before answering. "Yeah Jeremy, I really do." He admitted quietly.

"Well, now that there's nothing standing in your way, go for it!" Jeremy said enthusiastically.

"Nothing standing in my way? Really? She is stuck in a hospital room, she can't remember anything and she nearly died on us because of her ex-fiancé, not to mention it was my brother!" Damon said.

"Okay beside the technical things. She was yours from the beginning Damon, you just waited too long." Jeremy told him. "She'd kill me if she found out, but I read her diaries a couple times over the years. She admitted to liking you when she was five, and continued talking about you like you were the best thing in the world until she was eighteen, but she finally gave up, figuring you would always see her as a kid. You never made a move to make her think any different." Jeremy explained. "That's why she decided to give Stefan a chance, but even though I have no proof, I don't think she ever stopped loving you."

Damon sat in his chair dumbfounded by the onslaught of new information. "W-what?" Damon muttered. _She couldn't have loved him all those years, could she?_ He thought. _But she did, and that means all those years she could've been mine. _He thought miserably.

"I missed my chance." Damon groaned, his head falling into his hands.

"Maybe, but you're getting a second chance here. After everything he's done, I'm positive Elena won't take Stefan back, even if her memories come back." Jeremy told him.

"Let's hope so." Damon agreed. He decided then that he would fight for her. Fight every day until she learned to love him again.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you all liked it!<strong>**  
>**If you haven't yet I'd really appreciate it if you could check out my other new story 'I Find The Light In You'<strong>

**Please Leave A Review! **


	7. Chapter 7

Elena woke a few hours later. The oxygen mask had been removed although she was still hooked up to the heart monitor and other medical devices.

"Still hanging in there?" She heard the velvety voice from beside her. She lazily turned her head so she could meet his brilliant blue eyes. She gave him a small, tired smile and nodded.

"You really worried me, you know that?" Damon said taking her hand once again, though she could see his misty eyes were holding back tears.

Elena nodded again, her smile falling from her face.

"It's not your fault though, you know that, right?" Damon said giving her hand a small, supportive squeeze. Elena shrugged her shoulders, not trusting her voice. She remembered the look in his eyes when she first woke up and nearly flinched. Her lip quivered knowing she was the reason for his pain.

Damon frowned at her response and the expression on her face. He released her hand and took her face in his hands, holding her face dearly as he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. He waited until she was looking in his eyes to speak. "It wasn't your fault Elena, it was Stefan's fault." Damon assured her.

"I-I should've calmed down or something." She mumbled looking down.

Damon placed his finger under her chin, tilting her head up so she was looking into his eyes once again. She nearly melted under his smoldering gaze. "It wasn't your fault." He said, a promise in his words. He then brought his head down closer to her. She tensed at the action but felt that she wanted to feel his lips on hers, and feel his touch on her skin, the taste of his lips.

She could honestly say she was a little disappointed when his lips missed the mark and planted a sweet, protective kiss on her forehead.

She gazed up at him with wide, doe eyes and he noticed the longing in her gaze. His eyes flashed over her face and his eyebrows pulled down as he tried to calm the tug of war raging in his mind.

On one hand he knew that it would be wrong to go any farther because of all the stress she'd been through. She just broke off her marriage to Stefan, his brother and nearly died at the hands of the man she was supposed to marry.

But on the other hand she was looking at him with her wide chocolate orbs and he could clearly see the hopefulness and longing along with disappointment as his lips met her forehead instead of the more intimate spot on her waiting lips.

His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips several times before his hands grasped her face and he pulled his lips down to meet hers in a searing kiss, their first real kiss. He never thought it would be in a hospital, and he never thought it would be after she almost died. He couldn't have ever imagined that it would be after she broke off her marriage with his brother, but it was and it was still absolutely perfect.

Her lips immediately responded to his, molding against them as she lifted her hands, tangling her fingers in his silky raven hair. He could hear the beeping of her heart monitor getting faster and went to pull away in fear that he would hurt her, but she quickly grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her lips again.

She let out a soft moan against his lips as his tongue traced her full bottom lip. He smirked against her mouth before daringly darting his tongue into her mouth. She couldn't remember her old life or the memories that came with it but Elena knew that she had never experienced a kiss like this, a kiss that set her whole world on fire.

They both pulled away breathless and for a moment they just looked into each others eyes. Damon's forehead rested lightly against hers and a gentle smile passed over his lips. Elena looked into his blue eyes and noticed they had a sparkle as he gazed down at her. She slowly brought her fingers up gently touching his lips with her fingertips trying to memorize everything in his expression at the moment. He was looking at her in adoration and in awe and she returned it equally.

Damon inhaled deeply, fearing the after affects of his next words would cause her stress or pain but he felt a desperate need to tell her. The words ghosted from his lips, "I love you." He whispered, and in mere seconds she was pressed against him once again. She pushed her body against his causing him to sit down on the hospital bed, her lips meeting his passionately.

She pulled back a mere centimeter, her eyes closed in a mix happiness and pleasure. "I love you too." She murmured against his lips. His answer was a bright smile and he gave her one more sweet kiss before returning to his place in his chair, holding her hand as if it was his lifeline.

They continued to talk but this time on such light, friendly and warm topics like places she had visited, places she wanted to go, the concerts she went to and other things that had caused her to smile for an hour non stop.

Damon ended up telling her a funny story about when they were little. He had taken his mothers video camera when he was only seven and tried filming the young three year old Elena. She kept smiling and saying "Cheese!" before she started glaring at him. "Take the picture Daymie," She would growl at him. He would laugh and she would smile and say "Cheese!" once again. It went on in a constant loop for a good ten minutes.

"You're making my cheeks hurt!" Elena said after laughing at the story.

"Sorry, but it was really funny! Actually we still have the footage." Damon said his eyes lighting up at the thought of watching it with her. If she hadn't lost her memory it would have been at least their tenth time watching it but he was excited to watch it with her as her first time once again.

"I'll have to see that." Elena said wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye from laughing so hard.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure you get to see that one. It's definitely one to save for the wedding." Damon assured her with a smirk.

Elena shook her head, chuckling to herself at his childish behavior. "Whatever Damon." She said, rolling her eyes, yet he could easily make out the smile tugging on the corner of her lips.

Night rolled around and after their sweet kiss Damon wasn't too excited to leave, especially after their earlier scare. He also had a nagging fear that she would forget everything again and he would have to start again.

He stood from his chair and after giving Elena a sweet kiss he left, smiling at her from the doorway as he left.

Elena released a content sigh and fell against the pillows with a smile. He was perfect, she decided. Just picturing his brilliant blue eyes, his silky black hair, and his signature smirk had her stomach fluttering with butterflies. How had she gone for his brother? How had she never known that Damon was absolutely the right one for her? Her 'new' self knew him for just days and she already fell for him hard.

She fell into a deep sleep that was tied with memories.

She was sitting on a branch of the old oak tree in the Salvatore's backyard. She was looking down on a young Stefan along with a short tan boy who had his arms crossed. They were all about seven years old at the time and Elena was trying to prove herself worthy of getting into the boys clubhouse.

"I told you I could climb the tree." She called down with a frown.

From her spot in the tree she saw Damon coming towards the tree with his friend Matt.

"That's not even high. Any little old girl can do that!" Tyler called back.

Elena took the challenge and her eyes flashed with determination. Damon was just walking up but didn't miss the look in her eyes.

"'Lena, come down here now." Damon yelled up trying to sound like the adult as the eleven year old amongst the mere seven year olds.

"Not now Damon." Elena said as she grabbed the branch above her, maneuvering her way amongst the leaves and branches in her way.

"Tyler tell her she's in!" Damon hissed glaring at the boy beside him.

"Damon, you aren't in charge of us." Stefan shot back, crossing his arms with a childish harrumph.

"You aren't even in the club." Tyler said mimicking Stefan's position.

Damon scowled at them before his eyes darted back to the tree.

"Elena, that's too high. Come back down." Damon yelled becoming panicked as the branches got thinner and she got higher.

"Stefan go tell Dad to come out here." Damon ordered. "Now!" He yelled when Stefan hesitated.

Stefan ran towards the house as fast as his little legs could go.

"Okay Elena, you made it! You're in!" Tyler called to her, his voice shaking nervously.

Damon saw Elena turn and look down for the first time. He could make out the terrified expression on her face. "I-I can't!" She yelled back and her lip started quivering.

"Please, just go slowly and make your way down." Damon yelled back with a frown. He felt a strong wind and watch tensely as she started to sway at the top of the tree.

"Damon! Help!" She yelled with a sudden cry.

Damon immediately jumped into action and climbed the tree. "Damon, I can't find Dad!" He heard Stefan's faint yell from the house and pushed himself on.

He finally got to a point where he was a few branches below. "Okay 'Lena." Damon said, attempting a calm voice. "Just slowly come towards me."

Elena looked down and was met with his trusting blue eyes. She nodded and bit her lip as she very slowly made her way towards him. She finally got to the same branch and with one arm he grabbed her to his chest.

"Okay, I'll tell you where to go and then I'll follow right behind you." Damon explained.

Elena nodded and all the way down the tree she followed his instructions. Once they were both on the ground, both feeling the effects of shaking legs, Damon pulled her into a tight hug telling her never to do that again.

Elena agreed and from then on honestly listened to him when he told her in his concerned voice to do, or not to do something.

Elena found herself dreaming once again and this time she was a little older, sixteen to be exact. She was getting ready for a party in town square, dressed in a teal party dress that flared out, sitting just above her knees. She looked down at the door as she maneuvered down the staircase in her silver heels

She tried to manage a bright smile towards the flashing of the camera but all she could muster was a small grin as she bit her lip.

After a few shots were taken she got to the bottom of the stairs and was taken into a hug by her mother. "Oh, don't you look beautiful." She cooed kissing Elena's cheek.

"You're looking gorgeous baby girl." Her dad said wrapping her in a hug.

"Thanks Dad." She said as he pulled away.

She stood nervously and glanced at the time. He said he would be here by now. She thought, grimacing.

"Oh don't worry. He'll be here soon." Her mother said giving her hand a small squeeze. Elena nodded but went to sit on the couch to wait.

After ten minutes of waiting Elena released a small sigh. "I guess he's not coming." She said.

"I'm sure Stefan has a good reason." Her dad said putting his hand on her back.

Elena couldn't really muster the hurt that should come with being ditched, maybe a little anger and disappointment but overall the strongest thing she felt was regret.

I should have asked Damon. She thought as she rested her chin on her fist.

Suddenly, as if on cue with her thoughts, the doorbell rang.

Elena rolled her eyes getting ready to give Stefan a frustrated sigh and telling him how he was fifteen minutes late but standing in the door looking absolutely breathtaking was Damon Salvatore.

A smile instantly broke onto her face as she ushered him in. She looked him over and noticed his tailored black suit and royal blue tie that complimented not just her dress, but also his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" She said, unable to take the silly grin off her face.

"Well," He drawled sounding nervous. "Stefan ran into some problems so I thought maybe I could take you?" He offered.

Elena looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Of course Damon."

He gave her a winning smile back, raising his eyebrows as if he were surprised by her agreement.

They stood posing for pictures for a few minutes before they were out the door and off to the party where they spent the night dancing in each other's arms.

Elena woke in the morning, her mind much clearer than it had been when she woke any other time since the accident. She smiled to herself remembering the dream, the memories in detail.

She pressed the little button beside her bed that called a nurse to her room. A nurse entered the room briskly looking at her expectantly. "How may I help you Miss Gilbert?" She asked politely.

"Dr. Saltzman wanted me to tell him when I had any memories." Elena explained. "I just had a dream and I'm sure it was some memories from before the accident."

"Oh okay. I'll be right back." She assured Elena before going back out into the hall. She waits for a minute, glancing around the room.

"Hey there beautiful." Damon says strolling into the room, a pink, potted orchid in hand.

"Morning Damon!" Elena said back enthusiastically, accepting the small kiss he planted on her lips. "I had some more memories." She informed him.

"Really?" He said, mirroring her enthusiasm. "What happened in them?" He asked curiously.

"Yes, I'd like to know too." She heard the doctors voice from the doorway. He was looking in smiling at her and she felt as if he may have seen her and Damon's little exchange.

He walked closer and took a clipboard from it's holder at the end of the bed. "So could you explain what happened?" he asked quirking his head to the side.

"There were two." Elena explained. "One was when I was younger, I think I was around seven?" She guessed. "I was playing with Stefan and this boy Tyler and they had this boys club or something." She said laughing at the childish idea. "Anyways, I needed to prove I was brave enough to be included so I climbed a tree. They teased me and told me I wasn't that brave since I was so low in the tree so I started climbing higher. I heard Damon yelling at me to come down but I was so determined to prove myself. I got too high though and he had to come up and save me." Elena said smiling as he took her hand. "Once we got down he made me promise to never do anything like that again."

"Damon?" Dr. Saltzman said looking at Damon with a smile.

Damon nodded. "Yeah, that one was a memory. How could I forget?" He said with a smirk. "You nearly gave me a heart attack swaying forty feet up in the air."

"Sorry about that." Elena said sheepishly.

Damon chuckled as the doctor pressed for the second memory.

"It was when I was a teenager." Elena started. "I was getting ready for a party, or dance, I think it was a party." She babbled nervously, remembering the feelings behind the dream or memory. "I went down and saw my parents taking pictures and hugging me." She said smiling a little to herself. "I was waiting for my date, Stefan but he was late, actually he never showed up." She said frowning a little before a big smile returned. "The doorbell rang and I was about to give Stefan a piece of my mind but when I opened the door it was Damon." She said her eyes sparkling as she turned to look at him. "He escorted me to the party instead." She murmured getting lost in his eyes.

The doctor cleared his throat, pulling them both out of their trance. "Damon?" The doctor asked once again.

"Definitely a memory." Damon assured him.

"Well Elena, it seems that slowly but surely your memories are returning to you." The doctor said enthusiastically. "Just keep updating me with your progress." He said as he left the room.

"Will do doc." She laughs, for once she's so happy just being alive, knowing she survived her accident and it's all because of the man sitting at her bedside. It's all because she knows he loves her.

* * *

><p><strong>I am so sorry that this took so long to update! I've been so distracted with my other story "I Find The Light In You"!<strong>

**Hope you can forgive me and leave a review on this chapter! **


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